Questions need to be a part of Tradition

Anyone who knows me at all, knows how much I love forms/patterns and so many other aspects of "traditional" martial arts. (I love non-traditional ones too, but that's another post.)

One of the things I worry about in traditional martial arts is the unquestioning acceptance of ideas or activities because they are part of the tradition.

Various versions of the following story have been floating around our culture for close to 75 years...
This version is one of my favorites...

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A young girl was watching her mom bake a ham for the family Easter dinner and noticed her mom cutting off the ends before placing it in the oven.

“Mom, why do you cut the ends off before baking the ham?” she asked.

“Hmmm…I think it helps soak up the juices while it’s baking.  I’m actually not sure, though. That’s just the way your grandma always did it, so I’ve just always cut them off. Why don’t you ask Grandma?”

So, the little girl went into the living room and asked. “Grandma, Mom is making a ham and cut off the ends before placing it in the oven. She said that it’s probably to help soak up the juices but wasn’t sure, but that you’d know because she learned how to cook from you.”

“That’s true. I do cut off the ends of the ham before baking.   I just never had a pan big enough to hold a whole ham, so I always had to cut off the ends to make it fit.”

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Following a tradition JUST because it is a tradition is not in anyone's best interest.  
Ask.
Learn why.
Understand it.
Stay engaged and be an active participant in your education - not simply a passive container.

Respectfully,
Kathy Wiz